First Generation Scholarship

Earning a college degree may seem like an impossible dream to students hoping to be the first in their families to attend college, but it's not anymore.

The University of North Florida participates in Florida's First Generation Matching Grant Program. More than 300 UNF students were awarded First Generation scholarships in 2006, thanks to UNF fundraising efforts and an appropriation from the Florida Legislature.

UNF is trying to raise $400,000 annually in private support, which, when matched by the state, will provide $800,000 in need-based First Generation scholarships for students entering UNF each fall. The students must meet UNF's academic standards.

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, only 25 percent of Duval County residents age 25 and older are college graduates. According to UNF estimates, more than 1,000 students qualify for the First Generation program.